Deepwater Wind Inks 20 Year Contract With RI Fast Ferry

Deepwater Wind has entered into a 20 year contract with Rhode Island Fast Ferry out of North Kingstown. The ferry service will provide a vessel to help...

by John Bender

Deepwater Wind has entered into a 20 year contract with Rhode Island Fast Ferry out of North Kingstown. The ferry service will provide a vessel to help conduct maintenance on the Block Island wind farm which will be built by Deepwater Wind. The boat will be built by Blount Boats from Warren.

Jeff Grybowski, the CEO of Deepwater Wind said the contract will create some eighty jobs in Rhode Island.

“Blount Boats will employ about 70 people over the next year, building this vessel right here in Rhode Island, at their shipyard,” said Grybowski. “And long term Rhode Island fast ferry will be employing about half a dozen people on that vessel.”

Grybowski says working with local companies proves that offshore wind energy could be a feasible industry for Rhode Island.

“These contracts are a great example of why Rhode Island is perfectly positioned for the offshore wind industry, because we have such a great tradition of the marine trade.”

Grybowski says the boat is expected to be sea-worthy by next spring. Deepwater Wind is working to build what could be the first offshore wind farm in the U.S. in waters near Block Island.

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